Most Americans say they're ready to end daylight saving time: Gallup
A new Gallup poll found that most Americans are tired of the biannual clock changes for daylight saving time and would prefer to keep their clocks set to one system, with 48% wanting standard time year-round and 24% wanting permanent daylight saving time.
Most Americans say they are tired of shifting their clocks back and forth for daylight saving time and would prefer to keep their clocks set to one system, according to a new survey.
The Gallup poll, released Tuesday, shows that Americans are split over where they want the locks to land. When asked specifically which system they prefer from three options — permanent standard time, permanent daylight saving time or the current back-and-forth practice — 48 percent said they want standard time year-round while 24 percent said they want to keep their clocks on daylight saving time, or when they push them forward an hour.
Less than 20 percent of the Gallup respondents said they would prefer to continue the biannual flips.
Daylight saving time, when most clocks will "spring forward" an hour, begins Sunday and ends on Nov. 2.
If the U.S. were to stay on daylight saving time year-round, sunrises would be much later in the morning. On the flip side, with standard time all year, the sun would rise as early as 3 a.m. in some parts of the country in the summer.
Some argue that permanent daylight saving would offer more time for outdoor activities in the evenings, but sleep experts generally agree year-round standard time would be best for Americans, particularly children, because it would bring more daylight in the mornings and provide additional health benefits.
The push to end biannual clock changes has bipartisan support in Congress where it would have to pass both chambers to change and in states across the country, though views vary on which side should stick. President Trump also supports the idea.
The pollster asked separately whether respondents generally have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of daylight saving time. In that question, 54 percent said they do not like it, according to the survey.
The latest survey marks the first time Gallup has measured opinions on daylight saving time since 1999. Support for the practice has plummeted across demographic groups in recent decades, according to research.
The poll was conducted Jan. 21-27 among 1,001 U.S. adults across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The margin of error was plus or minus 6 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.
